In the field of spectroscopy it is known to provide a microscope which can operate in conjunction with a spectrophotometer. Such apparatus are used to obtain infrared spectra of samples. A known microscope is the Perkin-Elmer FT-IR microscope which is described for example in an article by D. W. Shearing, E. F. Young and T. P. Byron entitled "An FT-IR microscope", published in American Laboratory, November 1990. Such a microscope includes a movable stage on which a sample to be investigated can be mounted. The microscope permits both visible observation of the sample and analysis of the sample by infrared radiation, either in a transmitting mode or a reflectance mode. The microscope also includes a video camera which can be used in conjunction with the visible viewing means in order to generate a video image of the sample for display on the display means of a computer.
The microscope can be used in conjunction with a spectrophotometer such as a Perkin-Elmer System 2000 FT-IR spectrophotometer. This instrument can receive infrared radiation either transmitted via the sample or reflected from the sample and provide an output indicating the spectrum of the sample.
The stage of the microscope is movable so that in an initial step it can be moved in an X-Y plane to appropriately locate the sample so that analysis of a selected part of the sample can be achieved.
In European Patent Application No. 95301428.9 we described a method and apparatus for facilitating positioning of the sample stage using images of the stage on a display means of a computer. That invention also provided a facility for enhancing display of acquired data.
A first aspect of the invention described in European Patent Application No. 95301428.9 concerned a method of controlling a motor driven stage of a microscope which has a video camera for viewing a sample on the stage, said method comprising creating on a display means of a computer coupled to the video camera an image of the sample, creating and superimposing on said image one or more graphical markers, using said marker or markers to create coordinate data identifying positions of interest on said sample and using said coordinate data subsequently to control the positioning of said stage.
A second aspect of that invention concerned a method of controlling a motor driven stage of a microscope which has a video camera for viewing a sample on said stage and an associated computer and display means for displaying a video image of an area viewed by said camera, said method comprising creating on said display means an image of an area of interest on said sample, storing data representative of said image, adjusting the position of said stage to identify another area of said sample and storing data representing that image, repeating said steps for a selected number of areas of said sample, combining said data to create an image of a larger area of said sample which is made up of said individual areas of interest, creating and superimposing on said larger area image one or more graphical markers, using said marker or markers to create coordinate data identifying positions on said sample, and subsequently using said coordinate data to control the positioning of said stage.
A third aspect of that invention concerned a system for controlling a motor driven stage of a microscope which has a video camera for viewing a sample on the stage, said system including a display means, and a computer for controlling said display means to create on said display an image of a sample on its microscope stage, said computer being arranged to create and superimpose on said image one or more graphical markers which can be used to create coordinate data identifying positions of interest which are used subsequently to position the stage for analysis of the sample.
A fourth aspect of that invention concerned a system for controlling a motor driven stage of a microscope which has a video camera for viewing a sample on the stage, said system including a display means and a computer for controlling the display to create on said display an image of an area of a sample on the microscope stage, said computer being arranged to store data representative of an image of the viewed area, to move the stage to another area and store data representative of that area, to repeat these steps for a selected number of areas and to combine the stored data to provide an image of the sample which is larger than the individual areas, said computer also being arranged to come to be displayed and superimposed on the larger area image one or more graphical members which are used to create coordinate data identifying positions of interest on the sample which can be stored and used subsequently to position the stage for analysis of the sample.
Microscopes of the above described type include an aperture which can be adjusted to define a boundary around the area of interest to be scanned. In conventional microscopes this adjustment is carried out manually.